Apple has agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit about early Apple Watch models. The lawsuit claimed that certain models had a battery problem that made the screens pop or crack (as reported by CNET).
The lawsuit was filed in a court in California. It involved the first Apple Watch, and the Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 models. The claim was that these watches didn’t have enough room inside for the battery to expand normally. When the batteries swelled, they pushed against the screen, causing it to break or come off. Apple said they did nothing wrong, but they’ve decided to settle the case instead of going through a long court battle.
Here’s how the settlement works: Apple will put $20 million into a fund to pay back people who had problems with their watch’s battery. Each person who qualifies can get $20 for each watch they had issues with, but this amount could go up or down based on how many people claim money. Some of the funds will also cover legal and admin costs.
If you already told Apple about your battery problem, you don’t need to do anything extra to get paid. You’ll automatically get your money unless you decide you don’t want it by February 24, 2025. If you think you should get money but haven’t told Apple yet, you need to go to the settlement website and submit your details by April 10, 2025.